"Reviving the American tradition of liberty"
MY EVERYDAY GEAR
I am compiling this list in the hope that you may benefit from my compulsive commitment to obtaining the finest value-to-quality-ratio gear available in the world. I do not just buy my gear based on cost or where it is sold or what is convenient. I have spent over a decade traveling to 45 States in the Union, often in harsh and extreme climes. I am now a contractor that works with his crew every day. I am not wantonly abusive to my gear, but it takes a beating nonetheless. I manage all my own customer calls, direct a crew and make and spend hundreds of dollars each day. I do not have time for gear that can’t take the heat. I have bought and either returned or broken many inferior products for nearly each one you see here. I put thought into each item. I am not above ordering my socks on the internet, for example, if I cannot fine EXACTLY what I need for my hectic day locally. This list is constantly evolving, of necessity, but I can at present accomplish an astounding array of activities with what I have on. I may have gone through the work to put this together just for one person who actually likes an item I display. If you are not an active person, then will probably not benefit from this list. This is all gear for someone on the move. I wish I had known about all this stuff a lot sooner, I know that. Hopefully something here will benefit you, and maybe I will save you time and money by providing you with names and links to gear that may be the best thing for your needs as well as mine. (Some images are clickable)
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Starting at the top and working my way down, the items that I put on after I take a shower are: |
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Minnetonka Fold-up hat $34.95 |
I am a leather hat man. Find one that fits, oil it up, and it is the best thing for rugged and inclement environs. I have spent years hiking this country’s trails and mountains, and nothing else has managed to hold up to those extended periods of living outdoors. This one will fold up and stuff in your pocket or pack without being impaired. That’s a plus! |
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Plantronics Discovery 640 Bluetooth Wireless Headset $107.00 |
I can’t even remember how many Motorolas, Jabras and other units I tried before I found this one. This one is imperceptible on my head, audibly transparent, compact, and I CANNOT make it fall off. It also has an optional clip that goes over your ear for extra stability. I can crawl around under a house in all kinds of positions and never worry about dropping it. Get this- it comes with adapters so you can charge it off of several different brands of chargers- Nokia, Motorola, etc. Best of all- I usually sound like I am on a land line. The Discovery’s sound quality leaves every other unit I have tried in the dust.
Interesting note: the first words from the moon, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” were heard via a Plantronics headset. |
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5.11 Tactical Shirt - Short Sleeve, Cotton $49.99 |
Cotton- it is comfortable, natural, breathable, lightweight, & easy to wash. The main reason for this is as a cover garment for my Glock. |
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Blood Stained Banner Lapel Pin $2.00 |
No matter what I have on, this pin goes with me. This flag was never surrendered, and it flies on a 20' pole in my front yard. If you are interested, there is alot of US history you can learn about all over this web site, and if you are one of those that are bigoted against my heritage as a Southerner, you can kiss my, well... you know.
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Dickies work shirt, ash gray, large $4.96 |
100% cotton- accept no substitutes.
Ash gray goes with everything.
Front pocket comes in VERY useful.
They now come tagless.
And, hey, if I am going to be a contractor, I might as well look the part in Genuine Dickies. I am not a label hound, but sometimes big brands get big because they offer real value.
I know you probably won’t wear this shirt just because I do, but I am leaving nothing out of this list. |
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Fisher Matte Black bullet Space Pen w/ stylus & clip $24.00 |
This pen feels and looks cool. It's even tactical, being matte black and all. It folds in half to fit in even the smallest pocket, but becomes a full size pen when opened. It has a stylus for my pocket PC. It writes in the vacuum of space, upside down, under water, over grease, in extreme temps, even down to -55 degrees Fahrenheit! Each refill writes 12,000 feet and has a 100 year shelf life. This is the epitome of pens. Read the technology section of their web site. It also comes in rainbow and camouflage finishes, among others. |
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Wilderness 5-stitch Instructor Belt with polymer stiffener $44.95 |
This is the most secure belt in existence, as far as I know. I could rappel down a cliff with it, if I had to. |
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Ampad note pad $2.57 |
Also available at Wally World, these are ready to jot every measurement or customer name or note I need in a day, and the pad is the same size as my iPAQ, so it protects my screen from damage when pocketed together in my Targus case. Very convenient, workable, inexpensive solution. |
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Lowepro camera bag (as a phone carrier) $34.99 |
This is surprisingly rugged, and has a magnetic closure. If they make one that fits your phone, however, I recommend Rugged brand holsters. | |
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HTC Touch phone/pocket PC $399.00
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If you do not have a powerful Pocket PC/phone, I cannot begin to impart to you the new world of convenience it opens up, once you get past the learning curve. I can do everything from browse the internet to watch TV with this thing. I have Microsoft Outlook in my pocket! I can look up movies, get driving directions or phone listings, read the news, check the forecast, schedule appointments, manage my task list, compile shopping lists, get stock quotes and sports scores, calculate a bid, send email, take pictures, listen to 200 CDs worth of music, manage my bank account or play chess everywhere- all the time. It is like having a secretary with a computer follow me around all day. Runs Windows Mobile 6.0
Approximate value of after market software / upgrades installed- $400.00, including:
WriteSHIELD Screen protector |
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SanDisk 4 Gig Micro-SD card $30.57 |
This holds as much data in my Pocket PC as an entire desktop held just a few short years ago. For example, I carry dozens of CDs worth of music, Word documents containing every State, local and Federal law that I am aware of that I expect I might someday need. And I have actually avoided trouble by respectfully saying, “No, officer, as a matter of fact Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 14 Article 19 does indeed state that it was appropriate to draw my weapon to defend those two women against those seven armed young males, and I intend to do the same next time.” I just like that I have it all chapter and verse in my pocket at all times. This card holds everything from my State Constitution to the Mayflower Compact. |
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Blade-Tech SRB (Sting Ray Belt Holster) $62.95 |
This is a very comfortable holster, and I definitely like the adjustable tension. It has a notch in the front and passive retention for a very quick draw. Also has several cant settings. |
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Glock G30F pistol chambered for 45 Automatic Colt Pistol cartridges, filled with 11 rounds of Speer Gold Dot .45 ACP Hollow Points for Short Barreled Pistols $565.43 |
The pinnacle of sidearms. |
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GlockWORX Complete Drop in Trigger Kit $129.99 |
This is the finest drop in trigger for Glocks on the market, as far as I know. Adjustable for weight and length of pull, everything is polished and smooth. |
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Laermax LMS-1191 Internal Laser Sight $339.00 |
You turn this on by pressing the takedown lever from either side. Works great, and no external parts to worry about. |
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Extended Slide Stop Lever $17.00 |
Were I to ever need to do any remedial action in a fight, it is nice to have a little something extra to operate. I do not use this as a slide release- only a slide stop, as the name implies. |
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XS 24/7 Express sights $120.00 |
For the fastest target acquisition around, these are it, day or night. |
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Millennium DMP Double Magazine Carrier for Glock .45 ACP $22.95 |
I generally like leather carriers, but this Kydex case has superb retention and draw, and fits my magazines perfectly. |
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Spare Glock 30 10 rd magazine $19.95 (x2)
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I have one of these near me anywhere I am- in bed, in my vehicle, on my belt…
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Pearce Grip extension PG-30 $8.95 |
This replacement base plate does not make the magazine any longer, it just makes it better. It enhances the feel of the magazine, and makes is look like it goes with the gun. I don’t know why Glock can’t make their mags like this in the first place.
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Speer Gold Dot .45 ACP Hollow Points for Short Barreled Pistols $24.95 (x1.5) |
From what I understand, Gold Dot surpassed all requirements after going through the FBI's ballistic testing for penetration after encountering all sorts of barriers, from walls to auto glass. I used to use COR-BON, and it is good stuff, but the shape of the Speer ammo makes it feed even more reliably. |
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Kahr CW9 semi-auto pistol; Black polymer frame, matte stainless slide $400.00
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This is my backup gun. Very nice little piece for that purpose. Hopefully I never need it. I may upgrade to a .45 caliber in the future on the theory that 9mm may expand, but a .45 never shrinks. | |
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K9 Magazine, 8 Rd $44.00 |
Gotta have a spare. | |
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Speer Gold Dot 9mm Luger Hollow Points for Short Barreled Pistols $17.50
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Same as for my .45 |
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DeSantis Super Fly pocket holster $36.00 |
These are great little pocket holsters. I keep my Kahr in one of these in my strong side cargo pocket. |
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Small Victorinox Swiss Army knife, pink $8.99 |
Yes, pink. I like it. The only thing it is missing is a corkscrew, but I guess I can’t carry everything in the whole world and still keep my pants up. Maybe this would be a great gift to your spouse, if pink isn’t your thing. |
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Swiss-tech multi tool $10.99 |
I have quite literally been broke down on the side of the road in a relative’s car and fixed the vehicle with this thing. There are a lot of cheap little multi tools out there, but none with the value-to-craftsmanship ratio that this tool has. If you ever hold one in your hand you’ll be a believer. This one has pliers, tin snips, wire cutters and four screwdrivers. Available in other finishes. It also attaches to your key ring. They also make them with a LED key fob and a flash drive fob. |
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Two spare Surefire lithium 123 batteries $5.00 |
I keep at least one refill at the ready for my Surefire E2E. I am glad lithium is so light. |
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Spare Fisher chrome bullet Space Pen w/ stylus & clip $24.00 |
These pens are so cool I have two with me at all times, just in case I forget one in the pocket of yesterday’s shirt. I have come to rely on them quite a bit. Incidentally, Fisher makes a pen you can buy that is unconditionally guaranteed for life- even against running out of ink! |
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2 Gigabyte SanDisk Cruiser Micro flash drive $89.00 |
Another 2 Gigs of data. This is the smallest 2 Gig flash drive I have ever seen. If you look closely you will notice the size of the whole drive in relationship to the USB plug. I measure it at 5/32nd inches thick. This sucker is TINY. Yet it holds every document I might ever need to print or pull up on the go. If I sit down at another PC, I can just plug this in, and it keeps all my favorites, passwords, preferences, photos… I even have a program that will make your pc look like mine- background and all- while I am working on it… and then save my work until I get back home. |
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Surefire EP3 EarPro Sonic Defenders $9.95 |
These are good ear plugs, and quite confortable. Another quality product from Surefire. I keep them on me not only because I work around loud noises often, but I never know when I may get a chance to go shooting, and I like to be ready. |
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Redhead lens cloth Medicated ChapStick Nail clippers Small Bic lighter Fossil collar stays tin containing tooth picks, Q-tips & Tylenol $21.00 |
I have tried several little tins out there, and the Fossil Collar Stays tin is the best I have found for keeping a few toothpicks & Q-tips in. Yes, I even put thought into which tin to use. I probably bought 15 different packages of Altoids and other stuff I didn’t want just for so I could use the tin before I came across this one. The rest of the stuff is self explanatory. |
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CRKT M21-14 Combination Edge Knife $59.95 |
For the money, this is an awesome knife. It opens very fast with pressure on the blade, it is a good size for a work knife. Best of all, it has a safety on the liner lock that prevents it from ever failing and potentially folding closed and injuring the user. I like the combo blade on a work knife, because it is that much more versatile. This is my work knife that I am not scared to use and abuse. |
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 CRKT M21-02 Razor Edge Knife $49.95 |
This has everything the 14 does, except the serrated edge, but it is smaller. I use this only when I need something really sharp. I carry two so that I don't have to use this for every day beater jobs. |
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Hillman belt clip key holder $3.00 |
This is the most secure, quick release method I know of for attaching keys to your belt. From a tactical standpoint, it’s good to have them all where I can grab them without fumbling. These are available most places keys are sold. |
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Wackeys $1.87 |
All things being equal, I like to go with what’s cool. I think tie dyed keys are neat. |
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Aluminum safety whistle $1.95 |
This is very light and very loud. They make them with a chamber for matches and some with compasses, if you prefer. Besides being able to call attention to an escalating encounter, this is invaluable if you are ever stranded and calling for help. |
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SwissTech Utilikey $10.99 |
This is a very neat multipurpose tool. Screwdrivers, bottle opener and straight and serrated blades- all the size of a key. I have gotten past lots of checkpoints with this. It blends in perfectly. |
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Car-pro vehicle remote entry device $24.99 |
Again, there are many keyless entry devices out there. Even if your vehicle didn’t come with one, get one. There are many possible scenarios where it is crucial to get into or to lock your vehicle on time. Again, a good reason to have this clipped where you can reach it and not buried in a purse or pocket. |
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Fatmax $16.99 |
One of my carpenters used to always ask me why I didn’t have one of these. I told him I didn’t see anything wrong with the one I had. Then I tried one. These things have an 11’ standout! (I can reach my tape to the other end of a 12’ board without it going all limp on me.) THAT is worth the money in my world. |
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Surefire E2 executive series lithium xenon flashlight $98.00 |
My wife still shakes her head at how many flashlights I bought before I decided on this one. I went to every sports retailer in the area and bought every pocket-size, tail cap activated light I could find. Among those tried were Inova X0, X5; Brinkman LX; Streamlight; Dorcy; Workforce… 14 lights in all. I feel the E2E is the best light out there, all things considered, for under $100. The light is very clear, the knurled aluminum facilitates a very safe grip, it has a clip, and it is as small as possible while still housing the necessary innards. If you do not want to spend $98.00, the runners up (in my opinion) are:
Surefire G2 Nitrolon (runner up to E2E for brightness, $34.00; inferior form factor)
Inova X0 LED (for longevity, while maintaining a substantial output, $24.00; buy it at Target) |
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$49.99 |
I own my business, so I can dress however I want. I like that I can dress comfortably and still “professionally appropriate” for my line of work. These are extremely comfortable, durable and useful. I used to carry extra belt pouches to comfortably carry the things that now fit in my pockets. |
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Secure 4-in-1 self defense spray $9.95 |
I plan on upgrading to Fox Labs spray soon, but I haven’t gotten around to it. This one has a built in belt clip that facilitates my attaching it to my magazine/light holder. It is inexpensive and unobtrusive. I like the glow in the dark button on the top, as well.
I keep this and my light clipped to my weak hand pocket. While my strong hand is drawing my weapon, my weak hand can be going for either the OC spray or light, as appropriate, if necessary. |
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Fossil brand bi-fold brown leather wallet $25.00 |
I just can’t seem to tear this thing up. I have torched several wallets in the past, they just wear out. Not only are there several excellent styles of Fossil wallets out there- one sure to be perfect for you- they are all durable and attractive. I know I sound like a Fossil rep, but I have never seen any better wallets for the money. |
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Fossil brand stainless steel business card case containing 15 glossy card magnets $10.00 |
Yet another Fossil item. I looked at every office supply and men’s accessories place in town- never being quite happy with the form factor of any card cases I found. Then I found this. Brushed stainless finish, perfect size, secure closure- I can’t imagine a way to improve this one. I feel any business man should have his card on him all the time. To do otherwise is to lose money. Personally, I only give out glossy magnets- I have found them hard to discard, so people are more likely to keep my contact info for longer. |
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Tinted safety glasses $10.00 |
Gotta have shades, and these are impact resistant for shooting and other activites. |
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Sharpie Industrial permanent marker $2.00 |
These are pretty neat. They write on anything. My main use is marking cuts while working. It is also a survival tool, though. I want to be able to take or leave notes using whatever I have available, if I am in the wilderness. |
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5.11 HRT Desert Boot $169.99 |
Again, I tried every boot that fit me in every boot store in town before I bought these. Man, are they comfortable, secure and durable. If you find these locally or order your boots online, you can’t go wrong if those are the qualities you are seeking. I especially like the grip on the rubber soles. I have yet to lose my footing in these- a plus when you are walking on ceiling joists! |
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$12.99 |
To add even more comfort, these are the socks to get. They have like 13 different zones stitched into them, and never ride down on my calves. |
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é ME (old pic) |
Purchase price: $4056.61 Having an uber-tacticool set up: priceless.
I feel I keep the most items I comfortably can to efficiently deal with the maximum amount of situations I can be prepared for on a daily basis. Much of my gear is not strictly survival gear, and there are other things I would carry if I was in a situation that might increase my likelihood of being stranded in the wilderness, but all told I could make it as far as I should have to on what I have. I may in the future add an “Altoids tin survival kit” to my gear. Thus far, I have not felt any urgency. My gear changes as I run across more efficient or durable items, but I am better prepared than anyone I know to run a business or “bug out”, as the situation warrants. Total weight: approx. 10 lbs (Not including optional items below)
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Occasional and/or variable items: |
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é not ME
Oiled cotton Duster $169.00 |
Not only does this look extremely cool and rugged J, it keeps me dry under my hat and down to my boots in heavy rain, without being too bulky. |
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Besides some Haynes boxers, that’s about it!
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